# List of people with surname O'Donnell

A number of notable people have the surname O'Donnell:

## Academia

* Edward J. O'Donnell (1909–1986), President of Marquette University (1948–1962)
* Guillermo O'Donnell (1936–2011), Argentine academic
* Hugo O'Donnell, Duke of Tetuan (born 1948), Spanish naval historian, and Knight of Malta
* James J. O'Donnell (born 1950), classical scholar and Provost of Georgetown University
* Patrick Denis O'Donnell (1922–2005), Irish military historian

## Entertainment and the arts

* Cathy O'Donnell (1923–1970), American actress, originally Ann Steely
* Chris O'Donnell (born 1970), American actor
* Daniel O'Donnell (singer) (born 1961), Irish musician
* Heather O'Donnell, American concert pianist
* James O'Donnell (organist) (born 1961), organist, choral conductor and academic teacher, Westminster Abbey
* Jamie-Lee O'Donnell, Irish actress
* Keir O'Donnell (born 1978), Australian actor living in Los Angeles
* Lawrence O'Donnell (born 1951), American television host of The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell, political analyst and writer
* Martin O'Donnell (born 1955), Audio Director for Bungie
* Michael O'Donnell (1928–2019), British physician and broadcaster
* Roger O'Donnell (born 1955), English musician and keyboardist of The Cure
* Rosie O'Donnell (born 1962), American actress and television hostess
* Steve O'Donnell (born 1954), American television scriptwriter
* Steven O'Donnell (Australian actor) (born 1980), Australian television presenter and actor

### Characters

* Wolf O'Donnell, a character in Nintendo's Star Fox video game series

## Journalism

* Kelly O'Donnell (born 1965), American journalist
* Norah O'Donnell (born 1974), American journalist

## Literature

* Elliott O'Donnell (1872–1965), Irish author
* Jessie Fremont O'Donnell (1860–1897), American writer
* John Francis O'Donnell (1837–1874), Irish journalist and poet
* Lisa O'Donnell, Scottish writer
* Mietta O'Donnell (1950–2001), Australian restaurateur and food writer
* Peadar O'Donnell (1893–1986), Irish political activist and writer
* Peter O'Donnell (1920–2010), British fiction writer
* Terence O'Donnell (1924–2011), American writer

## Medicine

* Barry O'Donnell (1926–2019), Irish surgeon
* Pacho O'Donnell (born 1941), Argentine psychoanalyst

## Nobility

* Calvagh O'Donnell (died 1566), The O'Donnell, 22nd Chieftain, and Lord of Tyrconnell
* Cathbarr O'Donnell (died 1608), a member of the O'Donnell dynasty
* Donnell O'Donnell (died 1590)
* Enrique O'Donnell, Conde del Abisbal (1769–1834), Irish-Spanish nobleman, Spanish general
* Hugh O'Donnell, 2nd Earl of Tyrconnell (1606–1642)
* José O'Donnell (1722–1787), Irish-Spanish nobleman, Spanish general
* Manus O'Donnell (died 1564), The O'Donnell, 21st Chieftain, King of Tyrconnell, and biographer of St Colmcille
* Maximilian Karl Lamoral O'Donnell (1812–1895), Hiberno-Austrian Count, saved life of Emperor Franz Josef I
* Niall Garve O'Donnell (1569–1626)
* Red Hugh O'Donnell (1572–1601), The O'Donnell, 24th Chieftain, Prince of Tyrconnell
* Rory O'Donnell, 1st Earl of Tyrconnell (1575–1608)

## Politics

* Christine O'Donnell (born 1969), American politician and social and political commentator
* Daniel O'Donnell (politician) (born 1960), American legislator from the state of New York
* Francis Martin O'Donnell (born 1954), Irish UN diplomat and Knight of Malta
* Frank Hugh O'Donnell (1846–1916), nationalist MP
* Gus O'Donnell (born 1952), Baron, Cabinet Secretary (chief civil servant), British Government
* Hugh Roe O'Donnell (1572–1602), Irish Rebel
* James O'Donnell (politician) (1840–1915), American politician from Michigan
* John O'Donnell (Irish politician, born 1980s), nationally known figure
* Kenneth O'Donnell (1924–1977), American politician
* Leopoldo O'Donnell (1809–1867), 1st Duke of Tetuan, and former Prime Minister of Spain
* Peter O'Donnell (1924–2021), Texas Republican politician and businessman
* Phil O'Donnell (1932–1982), IRA volunteer from Derry
* Thomas O'Donnell (Irish nationalist politician) (1871–1943), Irish Nationalist MP for West Kerry
* Thomas E. O'Donnell (draft opponent), activist in the New York Draft Riots
* Tom O'Donnell (politician) (1926–2020), Irish politician

## Religion

* Cletus F. O'Donnell (1917–1992), American Roman Catholic bishop
* Edmund O'Donnell, Irish Jesuit
* Edward Joseph O'Donnell (1931–2009), American Roman Catholic bishop
* James O'Donnell (organist) (born 1961), current organist of Westminster Abbey
* Patrick O'Donnell (1856–1927), Cardinal Archbishop of Armagh

## Sport

* Andy O'Donnell (1925–2019), American basketball player
* Carter O'Donnell (born 1998), American football player
* Conor O'Donnell, at least three Gaelic footballers
* Danny O'Donnell (born 1986), English footballer
* Ethan O'Donnell (born 1996/7), Irish Gaelic footballer
* Gary O'Donnell (born 1965), Australian-rules footballer
* Luke O'Donnell (born 1980), Australian International Rugby League player
* Martin O'Donnell (born 1986), English professional snooker player
* Neil O'Donnell (born 1966), former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback
* Niall O'Donnell (born 1998), Irish Gaelic footballer
* Patrick O'Donnell (1965–2024), Northern Irish Gaelic football manager and player
* Phil O'Donnell (1972–2007), Scottish footballer
* Scott O'Donell (born 1967), Australian football (soccer) player
* Sean O'Donnell (born 1971), Canadian hockey player

## Other professions

* Denis O'Donnell (1875–1933), Irish dairy innovator and entrepreneur
* Emmett O'Donnell, Jr. (1906–1971), U.S. Air Force general
* Myles O'Donnell, Chicago mobster during the Prohibition era